Metro Economies Drive the National Economy - Direct Stimulus Funds Needed for Rapid Response

The Christian Science Monitor  is running a story worth reading. I reported in my interview that within our MAINSTREET STIMILUS we advocate that stimulus monies be sent from Washington DIRECTLY to our city and county officials that make up our metro-economies in order for mayors and county officials to move  rapidly  and immediately to quickly put people to work.

This is important for cities and counties to respond quickly to  the deterioration of the job losses that continue to  hamper economic activity of our metro-economies that drive the national economy.

Of the ten sectors included in our MAINSTREET STIMULUS, in Community Development Block Grants and Green Jobs Block Grants, the States would directly receive 30 per cent, the 70 per cent balance would come directly come to Cities and Counties that make up our metro-economies. .

The Highway stimulus funds should be distributed through the Surface Transportation Program(STP) which would provide approximately one third of the funds directly to States and the two third balance would go directly to the Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) established in 1991 to provide the metro officials to receive federal money to tailor transportation improvements to meet the needs of our metro areas.

All of our proposals are based on laws that have been passed by the Congress. The statutes were approved to allow a fair balance to Cities, Counties and States.

The nation's mayors are in  total support for Congress  provide  our "cash-strapped" States immediately funds totaling billions for medicaid payments (fmap). This is the "pac-man" of State budgets and relief is needed now. Further unemployment benefits in billions must be forwarded to States to assist thousands (240,000 over the last month alone) who have lost their jobs.

We respect the great Governors of our nation and the States of our Union. But with all due respect, we are in a national crisis that calls for a substantial and fair share of  jobs and infrastructure funds be sent directly to cities and counties that make up our metro economies now.

Further, in all our MAINSTREET STIMULUS components,  the rural areas of America are provided a proportional amount of stimulus funds.

Now, at this critical time, we must recognize the urgency of this national crisis and Congress must send a fair share of stimulus funds to our metro-economies commensurate with the metropolital gross product of the metro-economies that continue to drive our national economy.

Here are the facts. The metro-economies generate 90 per cent of the nation's gross domestic product, 90 percent of our labor income and 86 percent of the nation's jobs. That is why our MAINSTREET STIMULUS is needed now.

Read: The Christian Science Monitor

Mayor Diaz: "Re-Location To D.C. Possible"

Speculation continues on Diaz Appointment to join Obama Administration.

Read: CBS4 Miami

Miami Mayor Manny Diaz, 66th President of The United States Conference of Mayors-eyed for Two Obama Cabinet Posts

The Washington Post today reports that The United States Conference of Mayors President,  Miami Mayor Manny Diaz is being considered to have a primary role in President-elect Obama's  Cabinet.

Mayor Diaz is mentioned for Homeland Security Secretary or  Secretary of HUD.  Mayor Diaz is the only person in the political article that is being mentioned for two Cabinet slots.

Read: The Washington Post

Zogby: Jesse Jackson Jr. Leads Field of Obama Senate Successors

Zogby poll indicates Jesse Jackson Jr leads poll of Illinois voters to replace Senate  seat vacated by Pres-elect Obama. In press conference this week in Chicago, Pres-elect said that it was the Governor's call and he was staying out of it.

Congressman Jackson has been out front somewhat campaigning for it

Some press reports have mentioned too-Valerie Jarrett.  Her name is everywhere and being mentioned for a number of posts--HUD, White House advisor etc. She knows and understands what a city is. She is of Chicago and has been there with Mayor Daley .  I would rather have her somewhere working with cities and our metro economies. Maybe a waste to have her in Senate!

No doubt about it, she was right on during Meet The Press Sunday when she talked about the need for local governments to have the focus of Pres-elect. She has also mentioned this week that there will be a new office in The Obama White House to work with us as we go forward. 

Read: Zogby.com

Hispanic Cabinet Members?

Conference President Mayor Manny Diaz as new Homeland Security Chief or Secretary of HUD?   Also mentioned are other Latino leaders that could be a part of the Obama White House and Cabinet.

Read: 44 Blog, WashingtonPost.com

Conference of Mayors President Manny Diaz Future?

The Latino vote was strong for President-elect Obama. No doubt, many will argue that it made the difference in key states. There are a number of blogs and press reports being circulated concerning how our President-elect will include Latino leaders in our new government.

Conference President Manny Diaz's name is the subject of much speculation. See below the mention of President Diaz being the Secretary of HUD

He is also being mentioned as a possibility for Ambassador or State Department because of his close tie with Latin American political leaders.

As for mayors, LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has been chosen to be on President-elect National Economic advisory team. Mayor Villaraigosa traveled to Chicago this week to meet with the President-elect and his team.


While all say, Obama will not chose the Cabinet and his core group based on diversity---still the Latino political community will expect that their leaders are of part of the senior team

Below you will find a report of Mayor Diaz that was circulated today.

Read: Miami New Times Blog

Stimulus. Stimulus. Stimulus.

Washington DC
November 7, 2008

Stimulus. Stimulus. Stimulus. How much? 60 billion? 150 billion? 200 billion? 300 billion? When? During a Lame Duck Session the week of November 17? After President-elect Obama takes the oath on January 20? There’s so much talk and speculation that it’s hard to stay on top of it. The stimulus buzz caused Norm Ornstein of The American Enterprise Institute to say on a C-SPAN panel last night that we are entering a “Cialis” period where we are going to be stimulated for a long time.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi has put $60 billion back on the table and says that is a starting point for action before our new president takes office. Other House Leaders and Senators want more now.
Press reports and leaks confirm that President Obama will propose additional stimulus spending after January 20.

So, we could have two major stimulus spending measures enacted over the next four months.

We could have a “down payment” package coming from Pelosi to jump-start the nation order to counter the worsening downturn and rising unemployment. And we could have a bigger stimulus and spending and tax measure after our 44th President takes office. No doubt, all signs and political speculation point to the need for President Obama to move swiftly with bold proposals to calm Wall Street and counter the recession.

We are ready with our “MainStreet Stimulus.” At our leadership meeting in Florida on October 4, Stamford (CT) Mayor Dannel Malloy proposed that we should have a Main Street stimulus for our cities and small businesses on Main Street America. Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums echoed Mayor Malloy’s recommendation and there was consensus for us to develop the MainStreet Stimulus proposal. Conference President Miami Mayor Manny Diaz, directed me to develop a jobs and infrastructure proposal with short-term “ready-to-go” projects for our cities and metro-economies.

Conference staff and I returned to Washington to do what the mayors told us to do. Using expert information and the best advice we could get, we worked for several days together to develop an $89.9 billion jobs and infrastructure proposal in 10 sectors. It is a balanced plan and would provide federal money to cities, counties, and states. In addition, other measures call for stimulus funding to the states for Medicaid, food stamps, and unemployment benefits.

The MainStreet Stimulus was adopted by our USCM Leadership on a conference call meeting on October 20. On October 29, Louisville Mayor Jerry Abramson, before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and Trenton Mayor Doug Palmer, before the House Ways and Means Committee, simultaneously and boldly launched our MainStreet Stimulus before these two powerful committees. Both Past-Presidents did a masterful job and our MainStreet Stimulus proposal was well received.

Since the hearing we have not stopped with meetings on Capital Hill and conversations with allies to gather further support.

What makes the USCM MainStreet Stimulus package different from the $60 billion stimulus package passed by the House and the Senate package receiving 52 votes last month? While we applaud the components of the previous package, we have added three changes. First, we are proposing that a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and Green Jobs Energy Block Grant must both be added for Main Street America. Further we are demanding that all highway spending be distributed through the Surface Transportation Program to ensure that local metro officials have the flexibility to tailor needed short-term projects to meet local metro needs. All three of our components give money to Governors. The CDBG and Green Jobs components would provide 30 percent of all funds to the states. Further, the STP Transportation Program provides even more than 30 percent to the states. We assert that Main Street, cities and counties are most capable of starting immediately on ready-to-go projects that will lessen the economic downturn.

To further document our MainStreet Stimulus, Conference President Diaz asked me to conduct a survey across the board to our cities hitting all ten sectors of our MainStreet Stimulus proposal. We will prove we can effectively utilize stimulus funds in short-term deferred maintenance, repair, and reconstruction projects that will meet the test of providing immediate economic relief and jobs for cities, counties, states ­­– and our nation. We will release our survey findings next week and it will be most important as we go forward to Capitol Hill when Congress returns on November 17.

We can also use this information for additional measures President-elect Obama will propose after January 20. A special thanks to all of you as you help us with this survey and continue to give us the ground support we must have when Congress comes back. Next week you must continue to reach out to your Congressional delegations. We have the answer for what they need. The American people are demanding action. We have the answer; it’s our MainStreet Stimulus. We need your help now. Please Help.

6.5 Unemployment Highest in 14 Years

Today’s unemployment announcement of 6.5 percent is the highest in 14 years. 240,000 jobs lost last month and thousands of jobs will be lost before President-Elect Obama takes office on January 20. This worsening situation proves the point that Main Street America needs our MainStreet Stimulus.

President-Elect Obama

We reflect on what Senator Obama’s election means to American and to the World. So much has been said. Not since World War II ended, have we seen such jubilation on the streets of our cities. This wasn’t about a sports event such as winning The Super Bowl or The World Series. It was a political decision made by the American voters that caused thousands to pour onto our streets with sheer joy.

President-Elect Obama won’t have time for a honeymoon or a boxed-in 100 day agenda. The new government is coming at us fast. Rahm Emmanuel is the best choice for Chief of Staff. He was the person behind the congressional victories two years ago. He is fearless and focused. We thank him for giving up so much at this time in his life. He could stay there in Congress and be Speaker of the House. He could be a United States Senator from Illinois. Devoted to his family, all of them will have to sacrifice their time with him because the Chief of Staff to the President of the United States is a 24/7 way of life. None are small measures. The President called. He came. He is a pragmatist and he will help us get things done. President Obama is smart in getting his White House Staff established as his first order of business. They can and will help him during the most challenging economic decisions he has to make now.

There has been a lot of discussion about those who “paved the way” for us to elect an African-American as our 44th President. I must mention the significance to this event that came from the election of the first mayors of African descent. It came from Carl Stokes of Cleveland when he beat a Taft in 1967. Then came Dick Hatcher of Gary, Indiana. And on and on the change, the election of African-American mayors, swept across our cities with the one and only Maynard Jackson of Atlanta and “She Makes Us Proud” Shirley Franklin. The Morials of New Orleans, Bradley of L.A., Wellington Webb of Denver, Washington of Chicago, Dinkins of New York City, and Palmer of Trenton. For the first time, with the election of the African-American mayors, a change in the mindset of many voters of all races began in our great cities through the decades before Senator Obama’s hope and change movement mesmerized us into this defining and historical moment. Today, we are so proud of our new President for our great nation and the world. And today, I pause to reflect and say that the election of all African-Americas played a part. I know that Carl Stokes and Maynard are up there in Heaven with a big smile and thinking they played a small part for America to arrive in 2008 last Tuesday night at 11:00 p.m. when the televisions all over the world witnessed Senator Barack Obama, the son of Kenya and Kansas, being proclaimed and elected to be the most powerful person on Earth.

Mayors Take Conference of Mayors "MainStreet" Stimulus to Congress

On Wednesday October 29, Louisville Mayor Jerry Abramson led the witness list at the powerful House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. This Committee designed and packaged the House-passed stimulus in September. And from what Minnesota Chairman Oberstar said in his opening remarks, his Committee will be the main source for the next stimulus package that is expected to be on the House floor after the election next week and before Thanksgiving.

Oberstar was quite strong in his opening remarks as he stated that this Congress would not lament and stand on the sidelines as the economy goes deeper into crisis. He said his Committee would not sit on the sidelines and watch things go downhill. He said as soon as the hearings are over, committee staff will put together the mix of proposals for action after Congress come back to town.

Chairman Oberstar commended Mayor Abramson for his "spirited" presentation.
Jerry Abramson as a wide breadth of experience as Mayor of Louisville and our past President during the Clinton years. He knows how to put allies together for any battle and campaign and he wins because he articulates his vision with brilliant narratives about how things actually work on Main Street America.

Today he has a new metro city, the 16th largest in the nation. The economic activity covers Louisville and Jefferson County. When you talk metro economies, they don't come any better than Abramson. He talks it and he walks it. What he does every day--and he works it 24-7--has significant economic role to both Kentucky and Indiana because his "little ole River City" as he affectionately calls it, sits on the river dividing the two states. His economic footprint includes the economic activity that comes across the bridges of the bordering Hoosiers in several Indiana counties. Over the bridges, they come to Louisville to work, spend money shopping and for cultural, sports and entertainment activities.
Abramson centered on three points--the need for Community Development Block grant funds and the need for a Green Jobs initiative through Energy/Environment Block grants providing immediate funds for short term investments in cities, counties and states. Further, Abramson was adamant about the highway funds being distributed through the current Surface Transportation program to allow maximum flexibility for local elected officials to tailor programs to meet needs at the local level.

Oregon Congressman Fazio explained that the last stimulus, passed in September, would have given all the highway money to the States because it was the consensus that states could activate ready to go projects faster. Mayor Abramson came back at him arguing that cities and counties through the metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) are ready to go now. He challenged the statement that states could do it faster. He also stressed the need to keep our metro economies strong to keep the national economy from worsening even further in the months ahead.

While Mayor Abramson was at the Transportation and Infrastructure hearing, Trenton Mayor Doug Palmer was in the midst of a rather turbulent hearing before the other power Committee--Ways and Means.

Everybody woke up when the Governor of South Carolina, appearing for the Governors, proclaimed the great State of South Carolina didn't need any stimulus money. It was astonishing because all we have heard from every credible economic expert is about the "cash-strapped" states. The phrase "cash-strapped states" have been in so many headlines recently and the images through Governors proclamations of extreme concern gave the Committee Chairman, our friend, NY Congressman Rangel, the opportunity to ask Governor Sanford if the people of South Carolina even needed unemployment benefits. The SC Governor stressed the need to abolish unfunded federal mandates. Gov. Sanford's comments did not jibe with the Governor of New York who is going through hellacious budget issues in Albany. And Governor Corzine, appearing with Abramson in the other Committee was giving total support to an immediate stimulus package.

Mayor Palmer was third to speak. The Governors in their opening statements quoted great poets. When it came time for Palmer to speak, he opened saying he wanted to quote another great poet, Mr. John Lennon of Beatles songwriting fame, wrote, "Help! I need somebody!" It brought great laughter and amusement from the crowd packed Committee hearing room and CNN was running the accounts of this poetic statement before Palmer finished his statement. Doug Palmer was the perfect witness in the perfect and devastating economic storm hitting Main Street USA now. If ever there was a better candidate to talk about our Main Street stimulus, it was the Mayor of Trenton who is going through budget cuts and layoffs now due to the cuts at the State House in Trenton. He is street smart. He knows what is happening on Main Street. He lives with it. Further, his agile and mobile mind and understanding of the nation's mayors needs as an immediate past- president and architect our Mayors 08 Ten Point Plan all served him and all of us well at this most important Congressional Hearing. .

Palmer made the point that our Main Street stimulus package is different from the recent House-passed bill because it contains a CDBG initiative, a Green Jobs initiative and the use of the STP program is a smarter way to invest highways monies.

The nation is now focusing on the election this Tuesday. And the need for the stimulus investment initiative will be front and center when the Congress returns on November 17.

While there is the excitement of a new President, mayors must not lose sight of the work that we must do as we demand the next stimulus package must be the Main Street stimulus package so boldly and well presented by Mayors Abramson and Palmer this week.

Soon all mayors in the nation will be receiving 50 hard copies from me sent directly to your office. Talk to you members of the House and Senate who will be returning to Congress on Nov 17. Also share our recommendations contained in our Main Street stimulus with City Council members, local media, business, non-profit and civic leaders now.

A survey should be in City Hall now--requesting your recommendations as to projects that will be funded through our Main Street stimulus funds. It is important that you get that information back to us by November 7.

Thanks for your attention and support as we go forward. Together we can make a difference to lessen the worsening economic conditions for you and your city during this national economic challenge before us.

Main Street Stimulus – Launch and Update #1

Current Situation
On October 13, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi held an Economic Forum with House leaders and national economists. It was stated at the Forum that up to a $300 billion stimulus may be needed. Infrastructure and jobs were highlighted to be included in a stimulus package.

Even before the Forum, Speaker Pelosi stated that a $150 billion may be needed - and she indicated she will call the House back to Washington after the November 4 elections. She has since made similar statements. Senate Majority Leader Reid has also said he expects the Senate to take up a stimulus bill after the elections.

Speaker Pelosi has directed the appropriate House committee chairs to hold hearings on this critical issue, and those hearings started on October 20 and will continue until the final one on October 30.

2008 USCM Winter Meeting - $168 Billion Tax Rebate Stimulus
In January of this year at our Winter Meeting in Washington, the reality of the first stimulus package was an issue among our own mayoral leadership. In the Executive Committee, mayors raised seriously the question of an infrastructure package to be included as a part of the tax rebate stimulus package that was being put together by President Bush and Speaker Pelosi.

After discussions, mayors decided to support the first stimulus package and to wait for the second stimulus to demand infrastructure short-term investments to keep our metro economies strong. This $168 billion tax rebate package was passed by the House and Senate and signed into law in February. Hence money went out in the form of tax rebates, but the gasoline costs skyrocketed to an all time high and no doubt many of those payments helped millions to ease the pump pain and reduced their personal and household increased energy costs.

House and Senate Action on Pelosi and Reid/Byrd Package
Last month, a second stimulus package amounting to $60 billion passed the House. A similar stimulus package was blocked in the Senate, receiving 52 votes, 8 votes short of the 60 needed to prevent a filibuster. The U.S. Conference of Mayors supported both measures – which relied heavily on infrastructure investments.

$700 Billion Wall Street Bailout
The national economic crisis that came to a head last month prompted the White House and Congress to provide a $700 billion measure, termed by many and commonly referred to as a Wall Street Bailout. Conference President Manny Diaz of Miami sent a letter to Congress urging them to act.

Main Street – Cities, Counties and States
As many citizens and small businesses saw their tax money going to help Wall Street, there was serious concern over the Federal Government seemingly ignoring the needs of Main Street America.

While the $700 Billion measure has helped stabilize the financial and banking system, the citizens and small businesses of our cities, counties and states are concerned about the credit crunch, and loss of jobs in this economic downturn.

At our Conference of Mayors Fall Leadership earlier this month, a Main Street Stimulus package was discussed and Conference staff was directed to develop an infrastructure and jobs Main Street Stimulus package.

Our base for a new Main Street Stimulus was built on the $60 billion proposal, mentioned above, that passed the House and was blocked in the Senate. The total amount of our Main Street Stimulus is based on a $150 billion stimulus amount that is being currently being mentioned by Congressional leaders. All initiatives of our Main Street Stimulus meet the jobs and infrastructure criteria of quick short-term investments to stimulate Main Street with jobs for unemployed workers and economic activity for businesses in our metro areas. We have added three initiatives to the House-passed bill. They are CDBG, Infrastructure, Green Jobs- Energy/Environment Block Grants, and Public Safety. In addition, we are adamant that highway funds must be distributed through the Surface Transportation Program to ensure the flexibility of funding will be given directly to our local officials to meet the infrastructure needs in our metro areas.

In all three of these initiatives, CDBG, Energy Block Grants, and STP, upwards of 30
percent would be sent to the 50 states. The remaining 70 percent of these three initiatives would go to cities and county areas - which accounts for 90 percent of the nation’s gross domestic product.

The USCM Executive Committee, Advisory Board, and Committee Chairs received a briefing on our proposal during an October 20 conference call. President Diaz and the members refined and approved our Main Street Stimulus proposal during that call.

Tomorrow we take our proposal to Congress. Two Past-Presidents of the Conference of Mayors will be strong advocates. Louisville Mayor Jerry Abramson will testify before the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Trenton Mayor Doug Palmer will testify before the House Ways and Means Committee.

As each day passes, economic indicators show strong sentiment for Congress to act on a stimulus measure when they return on November 17. We will need your help to pass our Main Street Stimulus initiative. The key issue will be the Senate – where many Republican and Democratic Senators running for re-election have now endorsed the need for a new stimulus package.

Infrastructure Survey to Mayors – November 7 Deadline
To assist us with further validation, we need your help on giving us immediately your ready-to-go short-term investment projects. Our survey will be sent to you tomorrow (October 29), and we will need that information sent back to us by November 7.

We appreciate your help and immediate attention to this critical issue as we all work together to pass our Main Street Stimulus to assist our citizens and small businesses in cities, counties and states during these challenging times.

Washington, DC - October 10, 2008

Washington, DC
October 10, 2008

In Palm Beach on October 3, we concluded the Fifth ë08 Action Forum of the Diaz Presidency. That's Five Forums in Five Cities. These Forums were a great success. Launched by President Diaz at The National Press Club on August, 4 we went the next day to Philadelphia, then to New York City, on to Denver, aborted in St. Paul when Gustav hit the Gulf, on to Los Angeles and Miami and Palm Beach ñ all in roughly eight weeks. This effort, this hard work and focus by all is a testament to our organization and breathes life into what has been described as the agility and mobility of The Conference.

At our Fall Leadership, all Five Forum Reports were adopted, plus we announced our plans to bring forth our proposals for realistic immigration reform. Reforming the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) was discussed as experts and travel industry representatives continue to stress the need for more friendly and improved welcoming attitude from TSA employees. Airline reform was on the agenda and the discussion turned again to the need for an improved attitude for airline service employees. The comments bordered on airline bashing while there were issues such as alternative fuel, a new traffic control system, increased funding for airport improvements, raising the passenger facility charges and full funding of the essential and universal service program for certain cities challenged by a cut back of the number of flights to and from certain airports that took less dialogue. No doubt new technology and even existing technology used in other countries is needed. These discussions will no doubt continue as we head toward our January Winter Meeting as there were no clear and concluding recommendations emerging.

On the national economic front, on the eve of our Fall Leadership Meeting, Conference President Diaz sent a letter to Congress urging them to move with haste to take action. The response was the $700 billion ìbail-outî of Wall Street.

Oakland (CA) Mayor Ron Dellums continues to raise the question about ìthe other sideî of the $700 billion bail-out. As a former Congressman he had had conversations with House Banking Chair Barney Frank in which he raised the question if there will be any money left to fund the multi-billion dollar investments that are contained in Five Forum Reports adopted for consideration when our next President takes office in January. After some discussion, a letter was approved to be sent to Congress to remind them of infrastructure, energy, crime and work force training investments needed throughout America.

While the $700 billion bailout package for Wall Street passed, Stamford (CT) Mayor Dannel Malloy raised the question of fiscal assistance for Main Street. He indicated he has reports that there will be a third proposed Congressional stimulus package before the next President takes office that will provide stimulus to the states. Many states are going through serious shortfalls and are taking drastic budget actions that are being passed down to our cities for our citizens to bear the brunt. In addition to these reductions of needed service, many of our citizens are being hit hard by a loss of their retirement nest eggs' value based on the losses of their stocks and mutual fund investments.

USA Today this week reports a majority of Americans are bordering on depression and rage over the current economic decisions that are going to help Wall Street and not to their retirement funds or to "Main Street" where they live and work.

The economic mood darkens and declines deepen and somehow the $700 billion dollar bailout doesn't seem to be working. Further, the $85 billion bailout loan to AIG wasnít enough and yesterday the Federal Reserve announced $38 billion more in cash is on the way.

At our Leadership Meeting, I reported that the second Pelosi stimulus package totaling $60 billion for infrastructure, food stamps, extended unemployment benefits, to struggling state governments was blocked in the Senate. This report was printed in the last issue of U.S. Mayor on September 29.

The first stimulus package last February totaling $168 billion was an issue at our Conference of Mayors Executive Committee last January at our Washington Winter Meeting. This package was a total tax rebate initiative. Mayors at our Winter Meeting voiced concern about a lack of infrastructure funding but there was consensus we should hold our concern and wait for infrastructure funding in the second stimulus.

According to reports, many tax rebates went straight into gas tanks as the gasoline prices spiked earlier this year and hit $4.00 a gallon.

The second stimulus package, $60 billion, as mentioned above failed last month.
Mayor Malloy had received word from his sources as I had received which indicates another stimulus, the third one, is coming.

After we returned to Washington from our Fall Leadership Meeting, the Governors continue to make announcements about fiscal relief for their "cash-strapped" budgets. California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has stated he needs a $7 billion loan. Almost every day another Governor comes forth. Many Governors are in trouble and are not talking about it and more bad news will come out after certain state elections.

On Wednesday of this week, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced she may call Congress back to Washington after the November 4 election to put together a new federal spending package worth $150 million. That's $90 billion more than was passed by the House and blocked by the Senate last month. As U.S. Mayor goes to press, Speaker Pelosi has announced that House Democrats will convene an Economic Forum on October 13 to consider when, not if, we will have another federal spending stimulus package for consideration.

At issue in the third proposed stimulus package is to what extent federal funds will be provided directly to cities to meet our challenges and needs. We are making every effort and we will need the focused attention of our USCM leadership and member mayors to present viable options for job producing initiatives.

It's very difficult to keep up with the pace and swiftness of Congress as they sometimes put together stimulus and bailout initiatives without mayoral or any consultation. These packages, as we indicated to our leadership in Palm Beach, are inside operations. They are presented to us and we do our best to support them even though the spending usually favors the states. And in many instances, badly needed funds somehow donít seem to flow down to our city halls once they are sent nonstop to state capitols. We will monitor the situation and report to our membership as the third stimulus takes shape. Our goal is to demand a city portion of the total for our cities and we will need your help.

No doubt, Washington is in turmoil over the economic crisis in our nation. And the old order of our financial structure which has been propped up and protected by both the Democratic and Republican parties is experiencing a meltdown. And a new order will emerge. Today, our federal government announced they not only will loan banks money; they will move to actually buy portions of our banks.

And the other issue is the lack of both Senator Obama and Senator McCain to give us their specific proposals. The first debate was a sleeper. Jim Lehrer, of PBS, let them drone on. He asked them to talk to each other. They refused. He just sat there.

In the second debate when the candidates did start talking to one another and seemed to want to engage, Tom Brokaw acted like a high school basketball referee with a quick whistle and he impeded the dialogue. The Washington Post on the day of the second debate published five questions from mayors to be asked if they were there. Brokaw was armed with these questions but he refused to use them. Senator McCain did open with a suggested remedy on distressed mortgage holders but there was no follow up and it didnít stick. The second debate in Tennessee, left us like the first debate in Mississippi, both without a clear picture as to what specific economic recovery plans they have to propose for national financial crisis. No doubt, the national financial issue will be the number one agenda item when one of them is our President-elect in less than a month from now.

David Broder, as I have said before, one of the last true journalists left in America, wrote yesterday in his Washington Post column entitled, "Running From Reality."

"Something strange is happening in this strangest of all presidential contests. The longer it goes on, the less we know about what either of these men would do if he were in the Oval Office next year."

Broder writes that they have been asked twice once in Mississippi and in Tennessee last night what their priorities will be and, "It was a stunning rejection of reality, this nation is mired in two wars it does not know how to end. It is struggling to escape the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. The federal government is staring at record deficits, with no plausible plan for financing the retirement and health care needs of a giant generation of retirees. Our transportation and education systems need help, and we are dependent on other countries for the energy we use. In the face of all this, Obama and McCain are stubbornly repeating promises they made in happier times, if either of them has a clue what to do to help this tottering economy, he is keeping it to himself."

Broder goes on to say that both men have given us "every reason to admire their character."

Today, October 9, the rhetoric from Senator McCain is to force Senator Obama to tell the truth about his association with terrorists and Senator Obama says that Senator McCain is guilty of "erratic behavior." It's as if they don't recognize what's going on on Wall Street or Main Street.

Let's hope the third debate will offer more specifics.

Meantime, hello folks! Back in Washington, we're about to go for a third try on some infrastructure stimulus.

And we have Five Reports from Five Diaz Forums with recommendations and innovations all waiting for one of them once the election is over, the sooner the better.

The 66th President

The 66th President — The Speech The Vision
Miami Mayor Manuel Diaz took the gavel as our 66th President in a jam packed plenary luncheon and set a new course for us as he issued a clarion call for Washington to wake up and follow the real leaders of our nation, America’s mayors. The theme of his inaugural to The White House and to Congress is that national problems demand national investments.

Following the outstanding leadership given by Former President Trenton Mayor Doug Palmer advocating the ’08 Mayors Ten-Point Plan, President Diaz will focus on 5 central themes, the environment, crime, infrastructure, poverty and arts.

The first is the environment as we go forth with the mayoral grass roots effort supporting climate protection investments such as our $4 billion Energy Block Grant Program now pending before Congress.

Last year we held three national summits on Energy in Chicago, Atlanta and Seattle. As Mayor Diaz takes the gavel he will have 870 plus mayors as signees to our Mayors Climate Protection Agreement. Our new Vice President, Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels, the founder of this powerful bipartisan political movement, will be standing alongside President Diaz as we create with a new President of The United States a new U.S. Department of Energy that will serve to provide a working hand to the mayoral leaders of this nation. They will not stop until Washington wakes up and provides a national investment towards energy conservation and independence from foreign oil. We must seize the Energy Department as never before. President Diaz and Vice President Nickels backed up by our mayoral leaders and the business sector will join together in common cause to demand a federal department that makes practical sense as we meet the challenge before all of us.

The second is crime as it relates to youth violence, banning automatic weapons such as AK47s and working with the outstanding police chiefs of this nation to secure federal funds for more police officers and resources for the latest technology to reduce crime on our streets and our neighborhoods.

Third is the arts, which in our world includes promoting international travel by securing federal funds for the investment of promoting American cities as destinations for Americans and equally, if not more important, destinations for international tourists and businesses. This destination promotion also includes our total and enthusiastic support to Chicago Mayor Rich Daley, as he is now our USA Mayor who will lead our nation to secure the 2016 Olympics for America.

Fourth is poverty. President Diaz feels very strongly that housing must be included as a priority for the national investment to provide all persons decent housing. The workforce issues are a part of the antipoverty priority — meaningful, productive and decent wages for all who want a job must be provided. New jobs will come from the green industries, as America will change their consumption and buying habits. This means thousands of green jobs and new careers. President Diaz demands investments to modernize our schools and provide alternative measures to prevent increased dropout rates in our schools. The superb leadership last year of Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa as our Poverty Task Force Chair has produced the policy and strategies that will be the keystone and basis as we go forward to further our efforts to eradicate poverty.

Mayor Diaz is quite adamant about making our citizens competitive to compete with citizens of the world. He tells us we are not competing with one American city against another. He points to Tokyo, Sydney, London, Berlin, Beijing, Ireland and other cities and countries on our globe.

The fifth is infrastructure and here Mayor Diaz cites the American Society of Civil Engineers who have rated America’s infrastructure with the grade of D plus. Mayor Diaz is much aware that under his watch we will engage in a fierce battle over the mammoth federal legislation SAFETEA-LU that will pour billions of dollars from Washington across our nation. Today, Mayor Diaz recognizes that this legislation must not be another highway bill. The critical issue with traffic, the movement of goods and services throughout our economic structure plus the challenging question of getting to and from work or anywhere demands wise and smart investments. The current surge of gas prices will force the American people to demand a transportation system that is climate and energy centered. Mayor Diaz, with USCM Transportation Chair Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper, will not stand for pouring additional monies in a highway bill that does nothing to produce the product line America will demand, namely smarter highways, increased capacity and modernization of rails in America.

In addition to smarter transportation investments, Mayor Diaz will push for sound investments into water and waste management. Water is the life of our nation and our cities and mayors will continue to lead the way. Present and future demands will require a new way of investing in our water infrastructure.Mayor Diaz’s inaugural words were directed straight at Washington where billions of our taxpayers’ money is sent in truckloads from our cities. He is demanding that our money must be sent home which was uttered in a simple but stern statement — “National problems demand national investments.” His vision and aim is wide like a shotgun blast; it touches every aspect of American life and his plan of action will be as focused as a microscopic rifle — to put the money where it should be put — to support the metropolitan economic engines of the nation so that America will be even stronger. Together the metro economic engines will continue to drive the national economy to maintain our economic leadership among nations of the world.

The Plan. The Visit.
After the hoopla, the stress, the adrenalin outpour lowered, I left the 76th Annual Meeting and crossed the bridge to vacation and recover with the eleven grandkids. As I splashed in the pool on the beachfront of The Loews Hotel and soaked up the sun, I pondered as to what my new President was thinking. He will be my 40th President. Yes, I live with change. With all due respect to Senator Obama, I know what change is. So I was getting myself ready for the play — the plan. And I knew Mayor Manny Diaz was thinking too. Once, not too long ago, he said to me “Tom, I don’t talk quite as much as some but I am always thinking.” So I knew he had been thinking. We had talked about priorities but that was before he became my new boss, my 40th President — So I was ready.

The call came around 10:30 on Saturday night I missed it; slow to hit the receive button on the blackberry phone but the voice mail was Mayor Diaz “Hey look I’ve been thinking and I think you and Ed Somers after everybody is gone should come over to my house for some burgers and we can do a little business.”

So Ed and I went to his home. His wife, Robin, had cooked the burgers, ready at 1:30 but before we ate, we went to his front porch and he gave us his plan in a conversation that lasted for over five hours.

He was crystal clear about what he wants to do. He spoke without a pause or a smidgen of indecisiveness.

He will create and lead five national forums between now and October 4 in five national cities on five condensed action strategies of the Mayors ‘08 Ten Point Plan.

In Chicago, there will be a ‘08 Mayors Action Forum on the Arts. In Los Angeles, there will be a Forum on Poverty. In Miami, a Forum on the Environment, in New York a Forum on Infrastructure, and in Philadelphia a Forum on Crime.

As U.S.Mayor goes to press, President Diaz is calling Mayors Villaraigosa, Daley, Bloomberg and Nutter to establish the dates to be announced.

This will be a national tour. All mayors will be invited; allies will be invited from the academic community, from the business community and from experts in the given areas.

These will not be “summits” where pontification is the rule. These forums will be focused to produce five action plans to merge into an ’08 Mayors Action Agenda that will be delivered to our leadership mayors at our Fall Leadership Meeting, October 2–4, 2008. Mayors at our Fall Leadership Meeting will work in facilitated working sessions on Crime, Environment, Infrastructure, and Poverty to forge and condense the Ten Point Plan into the ’08 Mayors Action Agenda to deliver to the next President after he is elected November 4. Mayors will be forceful to offer clear and succinct recommendations to our new President-elect and mayors will succeed in persuading the new President to include our recommendations in his 100-day agenda to Congress after he takes the oath on January 20, 2009.

At our 2009 Winter Meeting in Washington, January 17–19, mayors will meet in groups with the new Cabinet where we will forge new partnerships to implement our mayoral action agenda.

In the meantime, President Diaz instructed me to change the method of operation for our media approach to the nation and the world. He wants an “in your face” attitude of our media effort. He believes that we should wake up every day and ask, “Where are the mayors in this story?” We will be relentless because our issues relate to the issues of the day and we have a new leader who wants a respectful “edge.” He wants us to wake up Washington and again demand that national problems in our cities demand national investments.

After over five hours of his delivery of command and charge to me and Ed, we did finally get to the burgers. They were good. We needed them! Thank you, Robin.

We walked from the porch and flopped in the car. It moved slowly down Fairview and I was so proud of him for his vision and plan of action. I am energized and honored that he has given me the trust to direct and implement his plan of action. I have had 39 of them and this is my 40th President. He said the night before; we were going to “talk a little business.” It wasn’t business as usual and it wasn’t usual business. His charge to me came forth with the precision of a five-star general. Manny Diaz is as focused as I have ever seen. He is the real deal. He is strongly convinced and determined that this is the moment of history for the mayors.

And he is the man we are blessed to have to sit down in front of President McCain or President Obama. He will not blink. He will deal. And he will win.He will win for our organization and for the great mayors of the cities of America, both large and small.

It’s most important for all of us to recognize that people, the voters, yes, and the voters! are with us.

Join Manny Diaz in a new way of doing business, to wake them up, put the pressure where the pressure needs to be put and to cut the deal for us. We are crossing the river. With your support, he can get us to the mountaintop.

Thanks for your continued support to this great organization, now 76 years old. The United States Conference of Mayors stands tall and strong today because of the great men and women in city halls throughout America who support our efforts and our services. As we enter our 76th year, there is a new beginning and a new kind of feeling like we really have just begun.

This really is the moment for the mayors in American history. Let us seize it. It is ours. And with Mayor Manuel A. Diaz as our President, nothing will get in our way. Join us! We need you. Together, we will back up his words — “National problems demand national investments.” And together, we will continue to make a difference in the daily lives of all our people where the overwhelming majority of them live, work and play, in the cities of America.

Vice Presidential Short List--Two Power Players Face the Powerful Mayors

As we convene our 76th Annual Conference of Mayors in Miami today, it is worth noting that we have two Governors who are being mentioned by many political observers as running mates for Senators Obama and Senator McCain.
Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell is no stranger to us and our organization. As Mayor of Philadelphia, he turned that city around from a financial crisis and emerged to worlk closely with us to forge a Crime Bill during the Clinton years. Next month he becomes Chair of the National Governors Association and he was quite visible in the Hillary Clinton camp during the current Presidential primary campaign. On Sunday morning at eleven o'clock July 23--- Governor Rendell will speak to us on the subject of the need to modernize our national infrastructure.

On the Republican side, Florida Governor Charlie Crist will address our mayoral delegates at our closing luncheon on. Monday June 23. Governor Crist was key to Senator McCain whipping them all and lknocking our former NYC Rudy Giuliani in the quest to win the Republican sweepstakes and become the presumptive Republican nominee that he is today. Crist seems tanned and ready. Just this week he reversed his positoion on the oil drilling ban and lined himself up even more with McCain. Crist is an attractive and vibrant and fit--- with movie star looks and recently drew great tabloid and pop press as he appeared in Washington DC for the black tie Washington White House Correspondents Dinner. He looked at home among the glitz and the glamour and all agree that McCain needs a little of both as Obama has the "rock star" image of change energy and excitement

So its more than the wonky world we live in of providing basic city services of daily city life to milliopns of citizens. . Its much about the tv and what happens on the tv--- the box.
Both Rendell and Crist can handle themselves and come across as good or better than most on television.

I am not picking or predicting today. I am just telling you they are here on Sunday and Monday for you to look over and decide for yourself. If not VEEP, one or another could end up in the Cabinet that will be announced later this year in December. They are power players on the national stage of today. And they are where the power is---the mayors of the United States of America.

Trenton Mayor President Doug Palmer and Forward

Doug Palmer’s contribution to The U.S. Conference of Mayors and to American cities will stand as a political landmark in our history. Without him, there would be no 10-Point Plan. Some may say that any Conference President in an election year would have asked the staff to put together a list of our priorities. Probably so, but the question is what does a leader do to breathe life into ideas and specifics he or she believes to be the top priorities of American cities.

All of us involved in creating and developing the 10-Point Plan know that Doug Palmer has been brilliant in the way he has advanced our cause to today’s political and business world. He has taken our message to Capitol Hill, to Presidential candidates, through Presidential primaries, to our corporate and business community, to the religious community, to advocacy groups, to non-profits, to suburban and rural America and into the “hood.” His political style is multifaceted, exciting, serious, funny, disarming and, yes, sincere. His presentations and performances bring a brand of leadership that combines politics and show business. He can begin with laughter and throw it into fifth gear and make you cry. Then he can switch gears and make you listen and then switch gears and make you want to follow him through hell to support the 10-Point Plan.
There’s in no way you can teach his kind of leadership and style. No one taught Ella Fitzgerald how to sing, or Frank how to croon, or Elvis how to move, or Astaire how to dance. They were born with it. It is innate. Those people in the baseball world are called naturals. Doug Palmer is a natural leader.

Deaths of other mayors have touched his soul, his being. As a young councilman, he sat in a church listening to Mayor Joe Riley eulogizing magnificently when we all went to Trenton in 1989, burying Mayor Art Holland, our President, and said to himself “Maybe I could be mayor.” He ran four times and has served five terms.

And then another death of our beloved Dearborn Mayor and Conference President Mike Guido on December 5, 2006 brought the mantle of leadership to him. It was a day I will never forget. Recognizing the depth of President Guido’s illness, I was bringing the senior executive staff to Trenton, and Mayor Guido died as we traveled and in that instant, according to our constitution, Doug became our President.

And, in that instant, Doug changed. I saw it with my eyes. He stood up in the Trenton City Hall the next day his manner, speech, movement struck me to think there had been another person inside absolutely ready to emerge and transform before our eyes.
And from that day forward, he has led us to where we are today in June of 2008 looking straight ahead at a new American era of change that is upon us. Our organization poised and ready to be at the table and be a part of creating the new America that American voters are screaming for in 2008 and will be demanding in 2009.

Senator McCain or Senator Obama will have to listen to us. The cities of America are where it is happening. They want change? They can’t take the change that we are offering and been offering and advocating since we were formed in 1932.
So at this moment, Doug Palmer passes the Presidential baton to Miami Mayor Manny Diaz and the Dearborn Accord of the Guido/Palmer/Diaz continuity will live. Doug Palmer has got us this far and he will be there with Manny Diaz, the next great President, to help us cross the river and get to the mountaintop.

Mayor Diaz, as our 66th President, starts the next phase of our campaign on Wednesday afternoon when mayors come together for their recommendations under the key priorities of our 10-Point Plan. Mayors Palmer, Nickels and others in the leadership will be there with Mayor Diaz as we begin the political journey to the coming together of the nations mayors with the next President of the United States.

This summer we will work in small groups. This Fall, our new President Diaz will bring us together on October 2 at The Breakers in Palm Beach for our Fall Leadership meeting. Before the mayors at that meeting will be a more succinct and clear agenda will be presented. So the steps to the mountaintop will begin here in Miami at The Intercontinental Hotel on Monday afternoon.

We will leave Miami more determined than ever. Mayor Diaz will take us across the river and to the mountaintop. And he will need your help to get us there. Together our member mayors, large and small, make our organization stronger than ever before. It’s an exciting time to be a mayor and I, along with my devoted and excellent staff, are honored to serve you as President-Elect Diaz puts our mayors up front and center. It’s long overdue. The time is ours.
Welcome to Miami! Thank you, Doug Palmer. Agile and Mobile Forever. And congratulations Mayor Diaz. You are a great leader. Your vibrant City of Miami, flat on its face, when you took over stands tall, strong and “hot” because of you – and your leadership. We look forward to the year ahead and pledge our enthusiastic and dedicated support to give you what we need for you to help get it done in this dynamic election year for all our mayors and all our cities. We can do it. Let’s go!

Tim Russert

Saturday June 14 2008.

Washington DC

Tim Russert's death notice hit our blackberries in our headquarters yesterday during our last walk-through staff meeting for our 76th Annual Meeting in Miami which kicks off next Friday. As usual, many were dealing with messages and reading their blackberries during the meeting and while we were briefed on the mayors and police chiefs meeting we are having in Miami---there was a series of gasps and rumbles of human sounds drowning out the presentation. People felt it inside their bodies when they read the words "Tim Russert is Dead of a Heart Attack His family says" and it had to come out. But it did not stop our meeting. It is crunch time here. We are days away from rollout time We continued on. That's the way it has to be.

Tim Russert's death hits Washington as we know him as a Washington operator and celebrity, who used to be a staff guy like us, a non elected guy who became famous-- who came from Buffalo and never did let you forget how strongly he felt about cities and the life in Buffalo that made him forever be "of Buffalo" even though he was a Washington person and a national repected tv professoional journalist standing above the others.

He worked as staff for probably the best two politicians in recent history. Mario Cuomo, the Governor of New York and Senator Pat Moynihan.

Mayor Joe Riley would always say that Pat Moynihan was the smartest man in the Senate. Moynihan chose Tim Russert to run his New York political office before Tim was 30. Moynihan knew what he was doing.

Tim hosted "Meet The Press" live with mayors at our Annual Meeting in Cleveland in 1996. It was the year that President Clinton came, our homepage website usmayors.org was launched, Mayor Daley became our President and Mayor Riley threw out the first ball at the Cleveland Indians game. We were all there. Ed Somers and I had two hotdogs with lots of mustard after we had turned down the box lunch with a chicken salad sandwich and a banana! We remember the important things. Tim was a big part of our 1996 Cleveland Annual Meeting.

Tim later came to our Winter Meeting the year General Colin Powell's Americas Promise was starting. He was representing the organization and was eloquent talking about the need for young people and more college graduates to chose public service, explaining how his father raised him and provided for him while working proudly as a garbage collector, driver and then foreman in his native beloved Buffalo.

Some people come to Washington and learn to dress differently, act differently, and think differently. Tim Russert didn't. Everyone knew where he was from because he told you over and over. He celebrated Buffalo in his speeches and informal talks and broadcasted it with his Buffalo Bills shoutouts on Sunday signoffs.

Meet The Press has a strong history with The United States Conference of Mayors. Its founder, Mr Lawrence Spivak would hold one hour-yes, one hour long -- Meet The Press live shows for many years in the 60s and the early 70s. Mr Spivak would come with his wife and it was a big deal. You could go and watch it. You would be seated in a studio. The first one I attended the ushers-men and women- wore white gloves and you were properly seated. Mr Spivak would fire rapid questions for a solid hour. The set was two tiered with a row of mayors on top and another in the row below. Riots, civil rights, poverty, housing, the Viet Nam War, block grants versus categorical programs and states versus cities. They were remarkable sessions. We need more today .

When Mr Spivak retired, the Leadership of The Conference of Mayors presented him with the Distinguished Public Service Award, the highest honor we bestow upon an individual.

I would see Tim Russert from time to time at evening events and luncheons and he would say "how are the mayors" and I would say, They are fine but would be a hell of a lot better if we could get more on Meet The Press like we used to do!!.

His death has hit the nation as if a head of state has passed. It has so much to do with the power of television. I have said since President Kennedy's death in 1963, television has become the most important thing in our daily lives. It is the place we go to mourn. It used to be that we would go to our churches our synagogues mosques and temples to pray and try to find answers to national tragedies. . Now we turn to television and we stay with it as we go through another national event of pain and loss. And television is where we "got to know" Tim. That's why millions are hurting since yesterday's news bulletin.

Russert came across more genuine than the others. His smarts, his sort of rumpled look and as Barbara Walters said today, he wasn't pretty like so many anchors.

When he said it you believed it. We will never forget what he said about Florida before we ever heard of hanging chads in 2000. And he was quite brutal on May 6 of this year when he said it was over for Senator Clinton. Some were hurt. Some were angry Some didn't want to believe it. But that's the profession code of truth that he sought, faced and announced more than others.

Pat Buchanan, the Nixon warrior, TV commentator, author and former Presidential candidate himself was asked last night about the future of Meet The Press. Pat said it reminded him of when Thomas Jefferson went to Paris as our Ambassador, following Mr Ben Franklin . They asked Jefferson if he had come to replace Mr Franklin? Mr Jefferson said-Sir I have come to succeed him. No one will ever replace Mr Benjamin Franklin.

That can be said of Tim Russert. Yes he will have a successor. Life will go on. If its Sunday, its Meet The Press Meet the Press will continue. But we will remember Tim Russert. He was one of a kind who dared to be genuine---and from Buffalo.

Mayor Byron Brown ordered the flags on City Hall and city buildings to be lowered to half mast. All of us who "knew" Tim Russert through TV or personally, know that's what Tim would have wanted. He would have smiled--big--and those eyes would twinkle. It was all about Buffalo. And Mayor Brown, thanks! Thanks from The United States Conference of Mayors staff.

Senator Obama to Address Mayors in Miami

The Obama Campaign has confirmed with me today that the Democratic Nominee Senator Barack Obama will address the 76th Annual Conference of Mayors Saturday at noon on June 21st at our City Livability Luncheon. He is scheduled to speak at 12:30 p.m. This is good news since this is his first appearance before any Annual Meeting or Winter Meeting of The US Conference of Mayors.

Many Obama Mayors have worked hard to secure the Democratic Nomination. And many Hillary mayors will now become Obama mayors. Isn't politics fun?

Senator Clinton, invited earlier, may still address our Annual Meeting. She has been with us many times in the past and we will continue to appreciate her leadership on our issues.

As to Senator McCain's attendance, we met with him two weeks ago in Chicago and his appearance before our Annual Meeting looked promising. Miami Mayor Manny Diaz has enlisted Governor Crist and Senator Mel Martinez to help us get Senator McCain there. Senator McCain addressed us in New Orleans when he was running in 2000. He also addressed our Annual Meeting in Las Vegas in 2006 and received a standing ovation.

It is important to note also that possible top vice presidential candidates will be with us in Miami. On the Democratic side, we have former Philadelphia Mayor, Governor Ed Rendell of Pennsylvania. On the Republican side, we all know that Governor Crist is definitely on the McCain short list.

Another significant participant is former President Bill Clinton who will give our Mayoral delegates a report on the progress of the recently signed Conference of Mayors/Clinton Foundation Agreement on Climate Change. Look for President Clinton in our Plenary Session on Sunday morning.

More later as our world turns...